Who would have thought that there would be a working farm on Jackson Avenue right in the heart of Uptown amid the mansions and the magnolias? Well, there is, and it is more than tomato plants stuck in the ground…
When hurricanes rumble from the Gulf, the high winds and storm surges sometimes re-locate unwilling sea mammals into surrounding land masses and waterways. That happened after Hurricane Ida in 2021, which displaced a dolphin into a bay near Grand Isle.…
In 2010, during the time that Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser was Plaquemines Parish’s President, the BP Oil Spill took place. He became immersed in the issue, so much that the national media referred to him as the “Face of the…
Fifty years ago there was a tragic fire in New Orleans’s French Quarter at a bar with a largely gay clientele called the Upstairs Lounge. There were 32 deaths. Documentary maker Royd Anderson joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along…
If the subject is restaurants don’t call Stanley Dry; if the subject is kitchens, then he’s your man. Dry is the long time writer of the “Kitchen Gourmet” column for Louisiana Life magazine. He has also authored cookbooks; two of…
We learn history for several perspectives including political, social and military, but to really understand a place and the influences that shaped it, we need to hear from a geographer as well. Richard Campanella, a Tulane University research professor, combines…
One person who most identifies a city is its mayor. There are council members, legislators, judges, sheriffs and police chiefs, but it's the mayor who usually, for better or worse, is in the best position to direct the future. Friday…
LSU is known for its achievements on the playing field and in the classroom, but before any of that could happen there were political battles and maneuvers to grow the university and to make it nationally prominent. Chief among the…
There is a crop that is grown here in Louisiana that is not found anywhere else in the world. Even in Louisiana it is a rarity sprouting from the ground in only one parish. Perique tobacco has been cultivated in…
When ordering, one might wonder why the cup in which their coffee is served has an image of the devil on the outside or, especially, why the coffee when poured into a serving bowl is on fire. The real jolt…
In the years prior to the passage of the federal Civil Rights Bill, the responsibility of offering higher education to Black students went to a few segregated universities. After the bill passed the doors were open and Black students were…
French is perhaps one of the most beautiful languages. It is also a vital part of Louisiana’s history. Through the effort of some dedicated individuals looking to preserve our culture, we have the opportunity to hear more of the language…
Chris Thomas King has been close to the blues all his life. His is the son of a legendary blues musician, Tabby Thomas, who operated a blues club in Baton Rouge. King has excelled not only on guitar, but also…
Kouri-Vini is the name given to Louisiana’s endangered, indigenous Creole language. It is spoken largely in rural south Louisiana by both Louisiana Creoles and Cajuns. Linguist and performer Clif St. Laurent joins Louisiana Life Executive Editor Errol Laborde, along with…
Here are some questions about our native jambalaya that you might not have thought about, but should: Is our native jambalaya an offshoot of Spanish paella? Is seafood jambalaya more of a casserole since jambalaya originated as a meat dish?…
According to legend, the original cocktail was invented in an apothecary in New Orleans’ Vieux Carré. The neighborhood, with its many restaurants and bars, is such a watering hole for classic drinks it seems only right that there would be…
Officially known as “Hansen’s disease” but the world recognizes the jarring, more familiar term “leprosy.” A place in south Louisiana known as Carville was, along with a facility in Hawaii, the national center for the care of patients with the…
So, you thought you knew a lot about crawfish. Well, how about this? What global event triggered the interest in boiled crawfish in Louisiana? Sam Irwin, the author of the book “Louisiana Crawfish, A Succulent History of the Cajun Crustacean,”…
There is so much talent in Louisiana that selecting finalists for Louisiana Life’s annual Louisianian of the Year issue is one of the magazine’s toughest challenges. But, It was accomplished! And, there are many promising prospects left for the future.…
Imagine three great cooking styles served in one place, or written about with recipes in one book. The place is Wayne Jacob’s Smokehouse in LaPlace (St. John the Baptist Parish); the book is "Southern and Smoked: Cajun Cooking through the…
There are all sorts of anniversaries in life, however seldom is a milestone celebrated for a candy. But then there are few confections as worthy of special recognition as Heavenly Hash. This year is the centennial of Elmer Chocolate creating…
There are two principal ways of Carnival group ritual in Louisiana. One is the New Orleans style float parade with bands, marching groups and maskers flinging throws from floats. And the other is the Cajun style Courir de Mardi Gras…
A century ago, a New Orleans based company, founded by Lucius H. Hayward Jr., was in the business of purveying dried beans, most notably the red kidney shaped variety. The company would eventually trademark the name Camellia Brand Red Beans.…
It's funny... Lafayette doesn’t look a day over 150, yet the town is celebrating its 200th anniversary. The commemoration is based on the state issuing a charter, in 1823, to what was then known as Vermilionville. (In 1884, the name…
